I decided that my charity knitting project was going to be knitted knockers (prostheses for breast cancer survivors), and that will be where my focus remains, but I was encouraged to help out at a recent craft bee at Calico & Ivy, where we made pouches for injured wildlife.
On the first day, I started crocheting a nest. The group tried a couple of nest patterns but unanimously decided that we liked Karlen Gunderson’s best.
The top of the nest folds down to create firm sides.
The pattern instructions create a base that sits flat.
The nest was made with an acrylic-blend yarn and will be for birds. Apparently, our native animals are yarn snobs and only like to sleep in pure wool, but birds are not fussy and will happily camp down in other fibres. I do not know why, but I suspect that it might be because marsupials like to sleep completely encased in their pouches, and the wool might be more breathable; they will not suffocate even with the covers pulled over their heads. I am only guessing!
In my spare time in recent weeks, I have knitted and crocheted two pouches, or sleeping bags for critters. I used the same yarn, Heirloom Merino Magic 8 ply, and I tried to make them the same size.
I did not use a pattern for either and worked both seamless, bottom up and in the round. The knitted pouch is plain knitting, and the crocheted pouch uses crocheted moss stitch, with a chain between each dc (sc for US crocheters). The interesting thing to me was that the knitted pouch needed two balls of yarn, but the crochet version needed three balls, 50 per cent more!
Although I did not use a pattern, they ended up the same size.
I used the crochet equivalent of moss stitch.
I finished this pouch with a narrow I-cord cast-off.
You can see the texture differences between the crocheted and knitted versions.
The yarn I used was all donated by kind souls. I cannot believe the great yarn that some people destash and donate to charity. I guess we have all bought craft supplies for projects that have never materialised.
Of course, I am still knitting knockers. I handed in my second batch of 15 D-cup knockers to the coordinator last month. These are all knitted withsupplied yarn, Bendigo Woollen Mills’ 8-ply cotton. The coordinator checks them before sewing them up and stuffing them, and they look a little peculiar laid flat.
I used some satin ribbon to tie them up in pairs.
Granny Mauds Girl 
Can you tell me a bit more about knitting knockers? Do they need more knitters? I’d love to contribute if needed. Thanks!